Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Hello. I am trying to get my carburetor dialed in after a rebuild. (Carter WD-0 model 643SA)
There are lots of Carter specific tools listed in the manual. I have been able to substitute many for other common tools, however there are a few I still need. Specifically the metering rod gauges (tool number T109-113) Does anyone have any ideas of things I can substitute for this? Or another way to get my metering rods just right? Are there any other tools like thisI won’t be able to substitute for common tools I already have? Does anybody by chance have a set of Carter tools I can buy off of them?

Appreciate the help, -David

I’ve been rebuilding WD0 and others since I was a teenager in the ‘60s and never used any special tools. That said, the kits that I used to use came with better instruction sheets and little fiber or hardboard gauges for various things (setting the floats for example) so it’s likely that one of those was for setting the metering rod although I can’t imagine that using it is absolutely necessary. I still have many of them but they are not labeled for their purpose so unfortunately aren’t of much use now unless I also happened to save the instruction sheets which I may very well have done, being the packrat that I am. I can check in a few days when I get to my shop but may need a reminder in the form of a PM..

That would be great if you could check for me! The reason I am so concerned about this adjustment is I am pretty sure it is adjusted too low and causing my engine to stall out right after it starts

https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/downloads/CarterWDO643S.pdf

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185865429156

Looks like the tip to the flat is 2.28" if you want to make your own.

Moodydavid16

Setting (or at least checking) both the metering rods and the anti-percolation valves is a necessary step when re-building a WDO that you otherwise have little experience with. If the carburetor had been running well and then abruptly has an issue, that’s another issue and the two aforementioned checks are less important, because just before the issue all was well and the adjustments were likely close to correct.

An engine that starts and then stalls is not likely either the metering rod position or the anti-percolation valve position. I would go after the choke and high idle adjustments. Being a WDO I’ll assume you have the throttle position starter switch . . . therefore the engine fires with a rather large throttle position, and once fired you likely reduce the throttle position as close to idle rapidly. My ’48 would have the same symptom until I installed an auxiliary starter switch, and tinkered with the choke and high idle adjustments.

Back to the rod and valve adjustments. I found a T109-113 for sale on EBay. I looked today but did not find one in the first page or two when I searched for ‘Carter tools’. Update: I see HPH found one . . . jump on it! It’s not clear to me where the 2.28 inch dimension is measured . . . I think it is from the ‘flat’ to a location on the ‘pointy end’ that has the same diameter as the main jet taper.

What I found was a late lifting metering rod adjustment results in a bog during the transition to the main metering circuit (fuel starvation by reduced fuel flow area). Late closing AP valves also has the potential of producing a bog in the same transition point (fuel starvation by reduced suction at the discharge nozzle), but if the AP valves are significantly late closing the engine will not transition to the main circuit at all, but you might be able to rapidly accelerate to the main circuit. I have not explored early rod lifting (likely a rich transition), or early AP valve closing, which may cause a hot restart difficulty, but I’ve been running my ’48 with a set of dummy AP valves for many years, so early closing AP valve may be undetectable form the driver’s seat. I’ve also have had some success shimming the vacumeter spring with a #4 machine screw AN washer.

Stalling just after start, in my experience, is a choke and high idle throttle position issue . . . assuming all else is proper, such as timing, tune-up, etc. You should find in the Carter documentation guidance on bench adjusting the high idle position.

Update:

On Carter tool T109-113 the 2.280 inch dimension appears to be the distance from the step in the tool to approximately half way down the tapered tip.

If I had to guess I would predict the print calls out a tip angle of 45 degrees, and begins approximately 2.220 inch from the step. The full width of the tip is approximately 0.132 inch, and appears to be fabricated from 16 gauge sheet stock.


dp

Thank you for finding that for me HPH, I just bought that! Also thank you to DavidPackard, I will definitely go and doublecheck those things that you mentioned. I would try and make one of the tools myself however I don't have the correct resources to make one that would give me satisfactory results. I will come back with the results after I get these adjustments done.

Thanks -David

*UPDATE*
After I had rounded up all the tools I still needed, I went through the carburetor one last time and did the AP valves and metering rod adjustments as well as redoing the pump stroke, high idle, and choke adjustments (this time I actually had wire gauges to ensure accuracy.) sure enough- after the adjustments were redone it fired up and stayed running like a top! I believe my main problem had to do with the choke being adjusted wrong. While doing the repairs, I also noticed that the hot air tube for the choke needed fixing.

Thank you all for your invaluable help.

Hooray!

In my mind, finding and fixing any issue on my car myself is the very best of all outcomes!

What's your address so everyone knows where to send their carburetors to get rebuilt?

Quote:

HAHA that is a good question for a PM.